Bougainvillea plant named ‘Wabag’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Bougainvillea  plant named ‘Wabag’, characterized by its outwardly spreading and bushy plant habit; vigorous growth habit; green and pale yellow variegated leaves; freely flowering habit; and red-colored flower bracts.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Bougainvillea hybridacultivar Wabag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofBougainvillea plant, botanically known as Bougainvillea hybrida, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wabag’.

The new Bougainvillea is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of theBougainvillea hybrida cultivar Jazzi, not patented. The newBougainvillea was discovered and selected by the Inventors from within apopulation of plants of the cultivar Jazzi in a controlled environmentin Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in 1994. The selection of this plantwas based on its variegated leaves.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings at Brisbane,Queensland, Australia since 1995, has shown that the unique features ofthis new Bougainvillea are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Wabag have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and/or light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wabag’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Wabag’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading and bushy plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Green and golden yellow variegated leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Bougainvillea are most similar to plants of theparent, the cultivar Jazzi. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inMoggill, Queensland, Australia, plants of the new Bougainvillea differedprimarily from plants of the cultivar Jazzi in leaf coloration as plantsof the cultivar Jazzi had a faint “watermark variegation” on developingleaves, but did not have distinctly variegated fully expanded leaves.

Plants of the new Bougainvillea can also be compared to plants of theBougainvillea cultivar Bilas, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Moggill, Queensland, Australia, plants of the newBougainvillea differed primarily from plants of the cultivar Bilas inleaf coloration as plants of the cultivar Bilas had light green-coloredleaves with golden speckles and spots.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newBougainvillea.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view oftypical one-year old plants of ‘Wabag’ grown in the landscape.

The photograph in the middle of the sheet is a close-up view of typicaldeveloping flowers of ‘Wabag’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicaldeveloping leaves and a typical lateral branch of ‘Wabag’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for thefollowing botanical description were grown in Moggill, Queensland,Australia in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. Plants used for thedescription were about one to two years old.

-   Botanical classification: Bougainvillea hybrida cultivar Wabag.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Bougainvillea    hybrida cultivar Jazzi, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 25° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—About two weeks at 25° C.        -   Root description.—Thick; white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Outwardly spreading and bushy plant habit; vigorous            growth habit. Freely branching with lateral branches            potentially developing at every node.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of plant plane.—About 1 to            1.5 meters.        -   Plant width.—About 1 to 1.5 meters.        -   Stem color.—161A.        -   Stem texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Thorns.—Length: About 1.3 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5            mm to 1.8 mm. Color: 177C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 8 cm. Width: About 6.1 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper            surface: Towards the center, 137A; towards the margins, 160A            tinged with close to 59A. Developing foliage, lower surface:            137B tinged with close to 59A. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: Towards the center, 137A; towards the margins,            160A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Towards the            center, 143A; towards the margins, 161C. Venation, upper            surface: 137B. Venation, lower surface: 160A. Petiole            length: About 2.1 cm. Petiole diameter: About 1 mm. Petiole            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole            color, upper and lower surfaces: 160A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single flowers arranged in axillary            panicles with showy bracts. Flowers face mostly upright.            Flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Natural flowering season.—Cyclically flowering year-round in            Moggill, Queensland, Australia; flowering periods about six            to twelve weeks long.        -   Quantity.—Freely flowering with about 30 flowers per            panicle.        -   Flower longevity.—About six to ten days.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.8 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Elongated. Color: 46B.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five; fused tubular            corolla. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:            Fan-shaped. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: When opening,            upper and lower surfaces: 4D. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: 4D; color becoming closer to 159D with            development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five; fused tubular            corona. Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Shape:            Linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Color: When opening,            upper and lower surfaces: 180B. Fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces: 180B.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: Three. Length: About            3.6 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous; rugose.            Color: When opening, upper surface: 46B. When opening, lower            surface: 45B. Fully opened, upper surface: 52B. Fully            opened, lower surface: 45B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Angle: About 45° from vertical.            Strength: Strong. Color: 180D.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 0.75 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Angle: About 45° from vertical.            Strength: Strong. Color: 180B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamens per flower: About            seven. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 0.5 mm.            Anther color: 13A. Pollen color: 13A. Gynoecium: Quantity of            pistils per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma            shape: Linear. Stigma color: 145C. Style length: About 5 mm.            Style color: 145B. Ovary color: 145A.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,    plants of the new Bougainvillea have not been noted to be resistant    to pathogens or pests common to Bougainvillea.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Bougainvillea have good garden    performance as plants of the new Bougainvillea have been observed to    tolerate wind, rain and temperatures from 3 to 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Bougainvillea plant named ‘Wabag’, asillustrated and described.